Tuesday, October 25, 2005

TIAH HALLOWEEN CONTEST: THIS IS IT! - no donation required, just send us your stuff! This is the final day to submit your entries! We will check our email before posting for October 26th, and then the contest will be over!

In order to give us a tad more time for Halloween, Today In Alternate History is sponsoring its first contest - email us up to 3 alternate history entries for October 31st, 2005. The best 10 entries will make up the entire content of the post on October 31st, Halloween day. Entries must be received by October 25th! Boring Legal Info - By entering the contest, you grant TIAH the right to electronically print your writing on October 31st, 2005, maintain your writing in our archives, and reprint your entry should we decide to reuse it in the future. TIAH only maintains full copyright over material it has originated that has been used by contestants in writing their own entries. Enter now while you still can!

October 25th, 2005

in 1415, the English and the French clashed at Picardy. The Battle of Agincourt, though seen by many as King Henry V's finest hour, was also his last. His bowmen carried the field, obliterating half of France's noblemen, but King Henry himself was killed when he led a charge against the French cavalry. His wife, Queen Catherine, took control of England and proved a surprisingly strong monarch, retaining England's possessions in France during her 20-year reign.

in 1854, Lord James Cardigan refuses an order to lead his Light Brigade against a heavily-defended Russian position in the Battle of Balaclava during the Crimean War. Although the order had actually been a mistake, Lord Cardigan is brought before a court-martial for disobeying it. He lives out the rest of his days in England in disgrace.

in 1870, R’Tegumar, Mlosh candidate for First Minister of the North American Confederation, is assassinated by French actress Sarah Bernhardt while visiting that country. Bernhardt had been associated with a Human League-funded group of actors since her teens, and had spoken out recently about the Mlosh’s visit to her native country.

in 1890, Colonel Beauregard T. Jackson launches an assault against Mormon rebel Charles Brigman's main base, killing several of Brigman's chief lieutenants and capturing a large number of his supporters. Brigman himself eludes capture, and retaliates by attacking the caravan with his former wife; she manages to escape as several soldiers give their lives to defend her.

in 1917, comrades in Russia attempted to wrest power from the reactionary Czar Nicholas. The Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Ulyonov, were crushed by the Russian Army, but left behind a legacy that inspired many labor unions, or soviets, to organize in the coming decade. These soviets, in turn, inspired American Communists with their spirit so much that they renamed the country after them in the 1930’s.

in 1923, President Harding issues a blanket pardon for everyone involved in the Teapot Dome scandal, thus derailing the prosecution of Interior Secretary Albert Fall. Harding quietly buried the investigations with what can only be termed blackmail against the prosecutors and politicians still calling for the scandal to be investigated. When Harding turned up dead a couple of months later, there was wide-spread speculation in Washington that it was murder in retaliation.

in 1954, a presidential cabinet meeting was televised for the first time. The meeting broke into chaos when John Foster Dulles revealed his hid[CENSORED][CENSORED][CENSORED]

in 1971, the United Nations expels the People's Republic of China and seats the Taiwanese ambassador as the true representative of China. The People's Republic looks to the other Communist nations for support, but the Soviet Union had been behind the deal; Soviet leader Brezhnev had become wary of China's influence in the world. The People's Republic of China, cut off from the rest of the world, began to experience civil strife and fell apart in the Civil War of 1974-78.

in 1990, Buster Douglas successfully defended his World Heavyweight Championship against Evander Holyfield. Although floored by a devastating blow in the 3rd round, Douglas managed to make it back to his feet and recover the strength to take the fight 4 more rounds, when he knocked Holyfield to the mat with a shattering right to the jaw. Holyfield didn’t come back up.

in 2002, the small armada from earth reaches the Pleiades and deploys around one of the planets. Although they see craft flying all around the system, they are undisturbed until Dr. Courtney sends a communication to the planet in a strange language. Then, 4 ships take off from the planet and attack them. The Air Force pilots do well, and none are lost as they successfully battle the Pleiadeans.

In addition to the Halloween Contest, we still have our standard offer - everybody who donates $10 or more through our Paypal link will become alternate history entries on the site. When you donate, I will email you asking your preference for a day & timeline; if you don't reply to me, I'll place you in a day that seems to fit your name :) Thanks for your continued support!

Forum Link not working for now - Forum has been hacked! We're working on getting it back, and will let you know once it's back up.Fresh New Poll - Shall we use future dates in our entries?

Warp and Protocols still available; also, see the script I submitted for Bravo's Situation: Comedy. Speaking of which, the winning writers have been announced; not the ones I voted for, but you can see the one I did at http://www.marktreitel.com

Still wishing...

As your humble alternate historian enters the downhill slope of the 40's, he still has his birthday wish - a contract with a publishing company like Workman Publishing to produce a page-a-day calendar of TIAH. If you are an editor for such a company, or can place us in touch with one, please fulfill this belated birthday wish!

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